I am a recent McGill Univeristy (in Montreal) graduate, still living in Montreal--I was offered an assistant administrative position by the school and decided to spend a few years saving up money/paying off loans before pursuing graduate studies--on a work permit. I am a US citizen. Does my residence in Canada preclude my eligibility in the Peace Corps?

To possibly further complicate things.. my wife is Canadian. She's considering the naturalization process, but at the moment we're content with our jobs in Montreal and don't have immediate plans to move to the US (at least, not before Peace Corps service).

We're legally married, we love each other deeply, and we are both eager to serve in the Peace Corps (it's something I've been wanting to do for many, many years). Other than the citizenship/residence concerns, we meet all the credentials... college degrees, bilingual, very motivated, love travel, we've both experienced working with NGOs in developing countries (albeit as summer interns two years ago).

I know there are alternatives to the Peace Corps, and we're going to explore them--but Peace Corps service is something I've been interested in for a long time, and my wife loves the idea as well.

The best thing for you and your wife to do is to contact your local Peace Corps office (over the border, almost every large city seems to have a Peace Corps office) and talk to a recruiter. She may not be eligible, but you certainly are. I served two years; you should talk to a recruiter. You don't need to be bilingual. You need to have a degree and a certain amount of skill that you can pass on. You don't need previous out of country experience. But you need extreme motivation, desire and commitment. Don't go in with any expectations or pre-conceived notions about what you are doing. Experience it as it is happening and unfolding for you; good luck.

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